NewsBytes Recommends: 'Still Time'—Engaging, impactful portrayal of time trickling by
Still Time, directed by Alessandro Aronadio, focuses on the oft-repeated idea that finds center stage in time-travel thrillers: being stuck in a time loop. Though, only sort of. It's a slow-burn drama about a man who has no time for himself or his family, and by the time he finally realizes this, the clocks have tragically been reset. Can he turn back time?
This is what happens in 'Still Time'
Dante is completely defined and consumed by his job; so much so, that he is late to his own birthday party meticulously planned by his wife, Alice. From that night onwards, Dante jumps a year daily and wakes up on his birthday, only to find that life is not what it seems, and everything has crumbled down due to his sheer ignorance.
Metaphors and dialogues give the film significant meaning
Dante's fate is foreshadowed early on in the movie when he says, "Days are passing by, and I don't even notice." He is so swooped up in his life that he tragically misses one massive milestone after another. For professional highs, he lets his personal life degenerate almost every day, and in such situations, the moment of ultimate catastrophe can't be far behind.
Doesn't medically suffer from memory loss, but practically does!
For Dante, it's scary to stay in the future, but scarier to go back, because life, as he knew it, is now an illusion that has ceased to exist. In many ways, his condition mirrors that of his elderly father, whose memory has started slipping away—though in his 40s, Dante is no better than an Alzheimer's patient because he's content forgetting his own life.
Themes and imagery in the film
Dante works at an insurance company—what better place to underline that life is defined by uncertainty and every moment counts? Also telling is the use of conscientious schedules—a calendar made of sticky notes rests in his home. The latter seems to contrast with ST's core idea—our plans are etched out for our whole lives, even though we may forever vanish the very next second.
Its solution is a well-thought-out one
One cannot completely let go of one's professional commitments to scissor out time for one's personal ones, and I like how the film curates its resolution in a way that doesn't eat up either area of Dante's life. Dante opts for all the vacation days he has accumulated over the years, ensuring he can make up for lost time while also comfortably staying employed.
The film is streaming on Netflix
Still Time, by no means, is a revolutionary piece of cinema and it may feel as if it says what other movies already have, but it still works due to its performances and sense of intrigue. Dante lives several lives due to the time glitch, and in each one, he gets a chance to right the wrongs. If only we could do it, too.